About

About the Festival

The Gesher Music Festival is a week-long series of chamber music concerts and community events which build bridges across the diverse cultures of St. Louis through engaging, inspiring, and immersive performances. Based on the Hebrew concept of Gesher, or bridge, the festival’s programming reflects themes inspired by the Jewish experience. From traditional concerts in formal halls to outreach performances for underserved audiences, the festival seeks to connect across all communities and walks of life through these culturally relevant themes.

Expanding the idea of Gesher to St. Louis’ musical community, the festival invites musicians from around the country to join St. Louis musicians, thus enriching the artistic fabric of St. Louis through the synergy of new creative collaborations. Festival artists include members of many of the nation’s top symphony orchestras, chamber music ensembles, and university faculties, and are winners of major musical awards including the Grammys and top prize in the Concert Artists Guild Competition.

The Gesher Music Festival, a project of the New Jewish Theater and a program of the St. Louis Jewish Community Center is presented by the Silk Foundation, with major support from the Maurice Amado Foundation.

Special thanks to...Central Reform Congregation for financial support of our community programs.Congregation Temple Israel for hosting and financially supporting a Free Family Concert. Michael Tilson Thomas for his thoughtful gift and for his endorsement for the festival.The Jewish Community Center of St Louis for the use of its state of the art Marvin & Harlene Wool Studio Theatre of the Staenberg Family ComplexThe 560 Music Center for donating rehearsal space.

TheMaurice AmadoFoundation

MISSION

The Gesher Music Festival’s mission is implicit in its name, Gesher, which is the Hebrew word for bridge or connection. The Festival builds bridges:

To promote tolerance and understanding between diverse cultures within the St. Louis community by creating programs that use themes inspired by the Jewish Experience and that connect to the entire community as a whole.

To connect and promote the relevance of classical music to the community through a variety of events, both formal and informal.

To connect the St. Louis musical community with the broader national musical community and create a culture of creative collaboration.

It supports and enhances the JCC mission to provide cultural enrichment to the community and to promote Jewish identity and continuity.